The use of optical fibers in data transmission is growing at a rapid rate. The installation and field repair of such systems requires easy to use tools employed for cleaving (cutting) the fibers in a manner to provide a fiber end that is smooth, flat and perpendicular to the fiber axis.
Such tools have been developed and are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,159,793 and 4,074,840, the teachings of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Devices constructed according to the above-enumerated patents have performed well and have achieved success in the field; but some problems exist.
The existing tools used for optical fiber end preparation allows an operator to work with a variety of buffered fiber sizes but does not provide for precision cleave length. If a specific or repetitive cleave length is desired the operator must manually measure the fiber and mark it prior to cleaving. The tool must be partially disassembled to accept the different clamps and buffer arms used when cleaving 1 mm, 0.25 mm and 0.5 mm buffered fiber. This disassembly of the tool can be detrimental to the cleaved ends, which must be smooth, flat and perpendicular to the fiber axis if high coupling efficiencies are to be obtained.